What Might Have Been
by Goofy-Charli
Summary: 100 Themes compendium focusing on the relationship between The Doctor (various regenerations) and River Song. Features a series of occasionally connected and mostly AU one-shots which explore 'what might have been' had the true nature of River's identity been something completely different... Take with a spoonful of sugar and just enjoy the ride! T for later chapters.


Hello there! I decided a while ago that I would begin one of those 100 themes epics focusing on the relationship between the Doctor and River Song. I have a few done, but I always wanted to update them in numerical order. Anyway, after all this time I thought, since River needs more love, that I should put at least the first chapter up. Now, I put this on hiatus last year because since having written them, River's true identity was revealed. I spent ages thinking of ways I could make it canon before I thought - what the hell? Why not leave them as is? So what you will see throughout the course of this compendium will be a series of occasionally connected one-shots, sometimes canon, sometimes not. There might be a bajillion different explanations for River's past - alternate universe of course - and maybe some day I'll go through and come up with something that makes the whole damn thing canon, but for now, just enjoy some good ol' River/Doctor lovin'!

Charli out.

* * *

The Doctor admired himself in the full length mirror next to his mammoth wardrobe. Evidently, his new regeneration was far vainer than those prior – to say the very, very least. He waggled his eyebrows, tugged his matte of jet black hair and tried various expressions on his new and rounder face. Quizzical, he decided, was not suited to this version of him at all – which was going to be quite a problem since it was, by far, his most favourite expression to wear. Well, excluding his infamous gloat or grin of superiority, only he'd never admit _those _were his favourite. Patting himself down, the Doctor continued examining his body, remarking out loud when he discovered moles, freckles and other abnormalities. He was a tad shorter than his last regeneration and a little more than a tad heavier – though thankfully not enough to bother him. Satisfied he bore no freakish qualities, but terribly upset he _still _wasn't ginger, the Doctor pulled himself away from the mirror to delve once more into the seemingly endless closet. It was time for a new look. He launched himself at the jungle of apparel and grabbed the first thing his hand touched. Eying the slip of purple satin, a devilish grin spread across the Time Lord's face. Bowties were certainly cool, but _cravats, _the Doctor thought, were just plain terrific.

Striding through the TARDIS' console room, which now sported a desktop similar to the last, though with significantly darker hues, the Doctor couldn't help but smile. His outfit not only was fantastic, of course, as he now modelled a suave black coat with tails, with an equally suave white dress shirt and purple cravat, but on top of it all he finally, _finally _had a hat of the bowler variety…and a cane. Could it get any better? Overjoyed with his brand-spanking new appearance, the Doctor leapt from control to control as he flew the TARDIS and practically skipped out the door once he landed – ready to flaunt it to whoever would pay him the time of day.

It was the 51st century, the Doctor could tell from the architecture, and if he had landed correctly – which was unlikely – he was in the capital city of the booming planet Mynos. Greatly dealing in interplanetary affairs, Mynos was home for countless political ambassadors from across the galaxy – the capital was often used as a half-way point during long distance travel – and acted as a neutral zone for interplanetary parliament sessions and other discussions. The Doctor strolled though the bustling city and observed the happenings of those around him – he enjoyed simply watching, rather than saving, once in a while. Ambling into the city square, the Time Lord absentmindedly took note of the different species around him. The usual suspects loomed, Cat-People, Grasks, Mechnoids and the like, as well as hybrids in an array of colours. Blue, Yellow, Green and Pink, insectoid and reptilian, the city folk were certainly a mixed bunch. Lastly of course, there were humans – both pure and in part. The Doctor scanned the crowd two or three times, before his eyes rested upon the figure of a young human woman with a mane of curly brown hair. He felt a smile creep onto his face – the Doctor recognised the woman instantly and wasted no time striding over to her.

Realising it may be her first time seeing his new regeneration, the Doctor opted to approach from behind and establish his identity before the woman could lay eyes on him. With one swift move, he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulled her flush against him and whispered softly into her ear, "Hello Sweetie."

He didn't expect her response to be a scream.

"River!" The Doctor cried as the woman elbowed him in the chest. Doubling over in pain he gasped, "It's me! The Doctor. I regenerated, that's all."

River's eyes widened in horror at the sound of her name coming from the stranger's lips, she took a step backwards and glared daggers at him.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" She ground between clenched teeth, "On top of that, how the bloody hell do you know my name?"

The Doctor attempted to stand up straight, "It's me, I told you."

"I'm sorry, I don't know any "Me's", at least not any that I let touch me," she spat.

Moving towards her, the Time Lord reached out a hand in an effort to calm her down. The action only caused her more panic as she took two more steps backwards and cried, "Stay the hell away from me, creep!" before running as fast as she could from her attacker.

The Doctor ran after her, chasing her through the square and calling her name, but to no effect – she simply wouldn't listen. When at last he managed to corner her in an alleyway, he spluttered once more between gasps of breath that he was the_ Doctor_,a Time Lord – last of – and only appeared different due to his untimely death and regeneration. River wouldn't have a bar of it. Reaching under her shirt she whipped out a blaster and aimed it directly at the Doctor's head.

"Oh please," he sighed, "don't shoot me, I only just regenerated."

River shushed him with a thrust of the weapon. "Look _buddy,_" she started with contempt, "I don't know who you are or why you're chasing me, but I'm _warning _you – I'm Ambassador Song's daughter, so if you even lay a finger on me I could have you locked up in Stormcage tomorrow. Clear?"

Suddenly, it was just that – clear. Not just clear, but stupidly, obviously crystal clear – so clear the Doctor couldn't believe he hadn't realised before.

"You don't know who I am," he repeated.

"That's what I said moron!"

"No, really, but you don't. Not yet. You haven't met me yet!"

River was backing away again, this man was evidently bonkers.

Grabbing her by the shoulders before she could escape, the Doctor asked abruptly, "How old are you?"

"W-what?" River stammered, too shocked to struggle.

"How old are you?"

"Um, fifteen." She had no idea why she replied, but the man now seemed more crazy than dangerous.

The Doctor whistled, "Blimey! Fifteen? Is that it? Seriously?"

River crossed her arms in front of her chest and pouted, "I look old for my age, alright?"

Ignoring her attitude, the Time Lord suddenly became very serious and stared River straight in the eye. She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, but was strangely mesmerised by his penetrating pupils, despite the fact that he had previously been chasing her.

"So this is it then," he finally said, somewhat sentimentally, "Our first meeting. You and I, all of time and space – it starts here!"

"Huh?" River goggled at the odd man, he really wasn't making any sense.

"Well," he replied, "First for you at least. But does that mean it's the last for me?" A look of horror crossed his face, "No! No, I'm not done with you yet." The Doctor's frown transformed to a beam as he grasped River's shoulders again, "Let's say…this isn't our first _meeting_ – this is merely…an _introduction_!"

River pushed him off her, hand tightening around her blaster again, "What do you mean first meeting? What are you yabbering on about?"

A grin spread from ear to ear as the Doctor practically bounced on his heels in excitement, "It means, sweetie," he began, entrancing her once more with his eyes, "that I'm the Doctor, you're River Song and it's terribly nice to meet you. Your favourite flowers are tulips, you played the trombone once when you were younger, you're an only child but have always longed for siblings, your mother passed away before you had a chance to really get to know her and most of all…your deepest secret is that, despite what your father has planned for you, all you've ever wanted was to become an archaeologist and travel the universe. Isn't that right?"

River's eyes nearly popped out of her head in shock. She was utterly speechless, her mouth opened and closed like a fish as she tried to speak.

"River Song," the Doctor continued, "I know everything there is to know about you and you know nothing about me, intrigued yet?"

She certainly was, though she wasn't going to admit it.

With a final grin, the Doctor planted a kiss on River's hand and skipped away, calling back over his shoulder, "You'll be seeing me again soon Miss Song. That's when everything begins."

* * *

So there you are! Take it with a spoonful of sugar, ignore everything you currently know about the series, and enjoy the ride!


End file.
